NEWS
Griffith Bank Earns Interest as Events Center
Breanne and Edward Stover spent two-and-a-half years adapting the 1920 Griffith State Bank building into an arts and event venue.
Banking on a Turnaround
Growing up in Griffith, Breanne Stover had always been captivated by the brick and stone-trimmed building on a prominent corner at Main and Broad streets. So when a for sale sign went up in front of the property in 2017, Breanne and her husband, Edward, moved quickly to buy it, embarking on a two-and-half-year rehabilitation to transform the Colonial Revival-style building into an events center.
Built in 1920 as Griffith State Bank, the structure served a number of uses over the years, most recently as a sign maker’s studio. Even in its diminished state, the bank attracted attention with its barrel-vaulted ceiling, Palladian window, stone lintels, and terrazzo floor.
By the time the Stovers bought it, water infiltration from a leaking roof had caused significant damage to the bank’s walls and ceiling. They installed a new slate roof and reskimmed every inch of the water-damaged plaster. To turn the old bank vault into a bathroom for the facility, workers cored through 21 inches of concrete to add plumbing and electrical access. As a maintenance and restoration contractor based in Chicago, Edward brought hands-on experience to the project.
Throughout the rehabilitation, people stopped by to share memories of the building and thank the Stovers for their work. “Most people remember the building from its days as an ice cream and soda shop or when it was a library,” says Breanne. “It’s a really cute building with a lot of personality.”
Indiana Landmarks staff offered technical advice and a grant to help nominate the building to the National Register of Historic Places. Dubbed “The Bankquet,” the events center opened in July 2020.
“It was rewarding seeing it come to fruition and rescuing something from neglect and turning it around into something that enhances the community,” says Edward. “I think it brings a lot of happiness to those whose families have been here for generations to see it saved. Being able to resurrect it really gives us a sense of community pride.”
The Stovers hope to host an event to celebrate the bank’s 100th anniversary this spring. Learn more about The Bankquet and see additional photos at thebankquethall.com.
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